ExSpecter Patronum
by Phoenix on cloud nine
Summary: Why would Harvey wander into a bomb site with his impeccable suit, just to keep his associate company? "You're not real," Mike confirmed sadly. "I've gone mad."


**A/N Hey gang :D This prompt on Suits Meme caught my eye and I couldn't help but fill it in - thank _stetson black _for the amazing idea :D**

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><p>When Mike opened his eyes, he knew something bad had happened. When some dust fell on him and made him start to cough, he knew something not that great had happened.<p>

And when the coughing made it feel like his chest was ripping open, he knew it was even worse.

He gazed around at the debris beside him. The room was a mess; fallen bits of wall, the roof was semi caved in; his _bag _was crushed under some masonry. He tried to wriggle up, but found he was caught underneath the same style of masonry that was trapping his bag. He tried to heave it off but every time he did so, a hit white burst of pain flowed through his arm and chest.

He stopped moving and instead tried to focus on what had happened. He had been meeting with a client whose pro bono Harvey had pawned off on him. His building had been condemned and he was hoping to sue for it.

What happened?

"Don't strain yourself."

Mike whipped his head around - causing more pain and his eyes widened as he saw Harvey stood in front of him. "Harvey?" He choked as more dust settled around him.

"The one and only," Harvey said, casually meandering over to him, his hands in his pockets.

Mike frowned. "Aren't you going to help me?" He asked, coughing some more.

"As much as it pains me to admit this, kid - I would if I could," Harvey told him.

"What? What does that _mean_?" Mike gasped, panicking. "Harvey, help me get up!"

"Mike, calm down," Harvey set, kneeling so that he was at the same height as Mike. "I can't."

"Why not?" Mike asked pathetically, pretending that wasn't a whine in his voice.

"I'm just here to keep you company," Harvey said, brushing off some dust from his suit with some disdain. Mike stared at him. Why would Harvey wander into a bomb site with his impeccable suit, just to keep his associate company?

"You're not real," Mike confirmed sadly. "I've gone mad."

"It could be that your psychosis has finally kicked in from the pot you did," Harvey agreed. "Or, it could be that you hit your head quite badly in the collapse."

"I don't - I don't remember a collapse," Mike whimpered, touching a wet part of his head. He hissed as it stung.

"Excellent work, genius," Harvey rolled his eyes.

"You always told me to press until it hurts," Mike pointed out, trying to give a sly grin and ending up giving a pained wince.

"Well, that was real me," Harvey informed him. "Hallucination me is telling you to stop giving yourself unnecessary pain. And look at that suit," it was now Harvey's turn to sound pained as he took in the wreckage that was Mike's suit.

"No, you must be real, only the real Harvey would bring up my appearance in a life or death situation," Mike griped, once again attempting to heave the masonry off his body. "And I don't do hallucinations, so you can just leave now. I'll be fine with my own company until help arrives," Harvey looked down, his mouth stretching into a displeased frown. "No one's coming, are they?" Mike asked him quietly.

"The chances aren't the best, I'll give you that," Harvey said. "But I don't believe in no-win scenarios, remember?"

"Ugh, I really don't want a lesson in Trekkie 101 right now," Mike groaned. "And if you're just in my head, then you won't know that nobody's coming. They could be on their way right now. _You _could be..." Mike choked slightly, the desperately hopeful sob dying in his sentence. He instantly regretted saying what he'd said. He didn't want Harvey to know just how much faith he had in the man.

"It's pure blind faith," Harvey informed him.

"No it's not!" Mike argued. "And stop reading my thoughts!" Mike said hotly.

Harvey shrugged. "I can't help it. I'm one of your thoughts. Anything else you think of I'll know. So lets hope you don't have any fantasies that are _too _weird."

Mike smirked and - as much as he hated to - imagined Louis in the towel at the tennis club. He heard Harvey groan and gave a small chuckle. "_That's _for reading my thoughts!" He said victoriously. "Do it again and I'll drop the towel."

"You need help," Harvey groaned. "And I can't control what I hear. Same way you can't control what I say."

"But surely I _can_?" Mike said. "If I'm just imagining you, I can just imagine you... I don't know, dancing or something."

"I don't know if your low blood sugar will let you do that," Harvey told him. "And if you even _try _to think of me in a tutu you are fired."

"Yeah, I'm sure the _real _Harvey will know about it," Mike mumbled, his eyes closing in tiredness.

"I'll make sure I do!" Harvey growled. "Dammit, Mike, stay awake!"

Even though he was a hallucination, he still had a certain air about him that made Mike open his eyes obediently. "I am awake," Mike told him. "Is that why I'm imagining you? To keep me awake?"

Harvey shrugged. "Maybe. I'm curious as to why you imagined _me_, out of everyone you know. Couldn't you have your girlfriend give you a strip tease or something? Have Trevor beating the crap out of you maybe?"

Mike glared at him. "I don't know! Surely _you _do?"

"I may know why I'm here instead," Harvey preened. "Although this is my theory. I don't know what's going on in that mind of yours - pretty much like every day."

"Okay, Mr. Know-it-all," Mike griped. "Why are you here?"

"You worship me," Harvey crowed, smirking.

"Yeah, you wish," Mike grumbled, looking away.

"Stay awake," Harvey reminded him. "And if not that, then why am I here?"

Mike felt a range of answers, _I feel safest around you, you've already saved my life once, I trust you, you'll make it all better_. None of these were once he cared to say out loud in the vicinity on his Boss.

"Aw, that's sweet," Harvey said in a slightly mocking tone.

"Stop reading my thoughts!" Mike yelled at him. "I don't know why you're here; if it's just to annoy me then congratulations, you did it. Just _leave me alone_."

"No can do, Mike," Harvey told him, an apologetic look on his face. "I need to make sure you don't die."

"And how are you going to manage that?" Mike spat. "Sure, you're corporeal but I doubt somehow that you'll be able to drag me from this mess or call for help."

"'Corporeal'? What am I, your patronus?"

"Actually, I would - wait... Did you just admit to being a Harry Potter nerd?"

"As you've pointed out, I'm not the real Harvey; I'm simply looking into your thoughts and pulling out bits that are appropriate."

Mike snorted. "Whatever. I'm so going to tell Donna you like Harry Potter. ExSpecter Patronum!"

"Nice," Harvey rolled his eyes. "And Donna won't believe you - where's your proof?" Harvey asked him, smirking.

"Well you just... oh. Yeah. Well... shut up, I'm injured and dying. Let me make no sense in peace," Mike snapped. Harvey; to his surprise, sat down beside him in the dirt. "You'll ruin your suit," Mike pointed out dully.

"You can pay for the bill," Harvey told him. "Now - get up."

"What?" Mike looked around at him. "I'm kinda _trapped _at the moment, Harvey! If you want to move this rock then be my guest!"

"Mike, you can do this," Harvey said seriously. "I would help if I didn't think I would disappear as soon as I tried."

"What do you mean?" Mike squeaked.

"I don't really think you're strong enough to make me completely solid, do you?" Harvey pointed out. "As soon as there's too much pressure on that big brain of yours I'll disappear."

"Okay," Mike mumbled nervously. "Just... just go stand over there and don't do anything."

"Aw, are you saying you don't want me to disappear?" Harvey asked, smirking proudly.

"Shut up," Mike mumbled. "Just don't touch anything."

"Yes, Sir," Harvey said, glaring at Mike. "But I meant it - you have to get up."

"I'm _trying_," Mike argued. "But my arm and head hurts, and I'm kind of _trapped_!"

"Ease your left arm up off the floor slowly," Harvey told him, walking back over. Mike moved his left arm, making small whimpers as he did so. "Good," Harvey said softly. "Now try and put the palm of it on the floor so you can push yourself up to sitting. Try it with the other arm too."

"Harvey I _can't_," Mike whimpered. His palms were slippery with blood - he didn't even know where he was bleeding from.

"Yes you can," Harvey's voice washed over him in a calm wave. "Here."

Harvey reached out a hand before drawing it back, just as Mike yelled out, "No!" The younger man then blushed and looked down. "I don't want you to disappear."

"Well then you've got to keep it together until the real me comes to get you."

Mike gave a huff. "No offence, but I doubt that you're coming to rescue me like some knight in shining armour."

"You don't know any more than I do," Harvey told him. "But because you're imagining me as me, do you really think that the real me would just leave you here?"

Mike shrugged. "I don't know. You worded that too difficultly. I'm tired."

"Stay awake and do as I say," Harvey told him. "Push yourself up into a sitting position. Do it," he insisted. Mike moaned but put both of his palms flat on the rubble surrounding him. He heaved himself forwards, wincing as he heard a pained scream - wincing even more so when he figured out that it was _him _who made it.

"Harvey," he whimpered.

"I know, kid, I'm sorry," Harvey said, sounding more pained and sincere than any other time Mike had heard him. "I know that _right now _I'm helping find you. I'll have told them you were meeting a client, and they'll have seen that this address will have collapsed. Until they get here, you need to help yourself. Can you do that?"

Mike moaned but nodded, managing to sit up and roll the large piece of rock off him.

"Good boy," Harvey said proudly. "Now, all you have to do is try and move somewhere - can you do that?" Mike shook his head, resting his back against a large pillar. "That's fine, they'll find you," Harvey said comfortingly. "But you'll probably need to stay awake so when they _do _show up, you can shout to them," Harvey looked around. "I'm never sending you to meet a client again."

"It's scary that I know you so well to imagine you like this," Mike said tiredly, "telling me it's my fault."

"It's Jake Henshaw's fault," Harvey said angrily. "And I'm sure the real me will know this and sue _him _instead of him suing whoever it was who had the right idea of condemning this site."

"Where is Jake?" Mike asked, looking around.

"You were here first, kid," Harvey pointed out. He looked down and frowned. "You're either going to need to stay awake and think harder or get used to silence," he said, showing the slightly see-through hand.

Mike paled and squeezed his eyes shut, apparently thinking hard. "I don't want you to go," he whispered, hating himself for sounding so desperate and needy. "Please stay here."

"I will as long as you stay semi-conscious," Harvey promised. The building gave a small shake and an ominous sound echoed from below. "Kid, I think we might want to start moving."

"How about you carry me and fly out," Mike suggested sluggishly. "Isn't that what ghost usually do?"

"Hallucination, not ghost," Harvey informed him. "And you need to move. Come on, I know you can do this. Ready?"

"Harvey I'm _tired_!" Mike whined. "I don't want someone ordering me about right now. I'm going to imagine someone else!"

"Good luck with that," Harvey muttered, putting his hands in his pockets and looking at Mike with some worry showing on his features. "Mike, Mike stop it," he said.

"Stop reading my thoughts, Harvey," Mike muttered, thinking hard.

"Seriously, Mike, you don't want your parents to show up," Harvey told him, constantly going to put his hands on his shoulders but drawing back, cursing at the fact that he couldn't touch him.

"Why not?" Mike yelled. "I'm hurt and I'm scared and I just want someone right now to reassure me. And if I'm allowed to have hallucinations, I want one that I wouldn't see normally."

"Mike, your parents are dead," Harvey said gently. "You haven't seen or heard them in years. You know how much concentration you would need? Just put up with me for a bit longer, okay?"

Mike sighed but nodded. "I'm really tired," Mike told him.

"Mike, you _need _to move," Harvey urged. "Just do me that, okay?"

Mike nodded and started trying to push himself up. He managed to get halfway up before sliding back down. "I can't, Harvey," he murmured. "Sorry."

"It's okay," Harvey said softly. "I think I'm going to be here soon."

"You won't risk your suit," Mike mumbled.

"I'd risk it for you," Harvey told him. "And you can't use this against me because I'm not the real me and you're imagining everything."

"Ever the lawyer," Mike said quietly, his eyes closing. He heard noise from below, hammerings and yelling. "You here yet?"

"Probably," Harvey's voice was quiet. "Mike, you're falling asleep. Stay awake or I'm gone."

"Sorry," Mike mumbled. He opened his eyes and stared up at the hallucination. "Thanks for staying with me."

Harvey's lips quirked. "It wasn't my choice. Hang on; I'm nearly here."

"Thanks for staying," Mike said again. A door crashed open and noises swam into the room, filtering through his ears.

"Mike Ross?" A fireman looked down on him urgently, whilst a paramedic quickly came to make sure they could move him.

"Yeah," Mike whispered. A neck brace was placed on him and he gazed around. No Harvey. "Where's Harvey?" Mike asked. "He was here too, you need to make sure he's okay!"

"Harvey Specter?" The fireman asked. Mike nodded. "He's outside; we have a police officer restraining him; he was trying to come in with us. He wasn't here. Check him for a head wound!" The fireman told the paramedic who looked over at him scornfully, making it very clear she had already done so.

"I did what he said," Mike murmured as he was strapped to a stretcher. "I moved... I got the rock off me..."

Then he finally passed out.

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><p>When he finally came to, he felt no pain. It was probably the drugs that were being pumped into him. He gave a small groan.<p>

"Mike?" His eyes flickered open and Harvey was once again at his side.

"Harvey," he breathed out, smiling. "I moved. I did what you asked."

"Mike?" Harvey said again, looking incredibly confused. "I didn't ask you to move."

"You did! You're..." Mike tailed off, looking around. "I'm in hospital."

"Yes," Harvey said, looking annoyed. "And the client isn't."

"Jake?" Mike said. "Where is he?"

"He got out in time," Harvey told him, a frown on his face. "Son of a bitch didn't call the emergency services because he didn't want people to know his building might have killed someone," Harvey suddenly stopped and looked down as Mike put his hand on his arm. "What's wrong?"

"You're my patronus!" Mike said, slightly giddy considering how soon he'd woken. "ExSpecter Patronum!" He gave a small laugh.

"Okay, I'm pretty sure it's '_expecto_', and I'm going to find a doctor."

"You're real, right?" Mike asked slightly desperately. "You're real?"

"I'm pretty sure I am, kid," Harvey told him, pressing the button for the doctor.

"Don't leave," Mike said quietly. He quickly withdrew his hand in case Harvey then disappeared.

"Hey, look at me," Harvey said. Mike glanced up, surprised that a real, solid hand was placed on his arm. "I'm not going anywhere."

Mike nodded, before suddenly cocking his head. "You _do _like Harry Potter!" He exclaimed. "I knew it! I bet your patronus is like, a bear or something. Or a lion. Yeah, I reckon it'd be a lion. Or maybe something like a panther. Donna's would be an otter, like Hermione. Or maybe a fox."

"That right?" Harvey asked, pressing the button with more urgency. "You seem to have given this thought. What would yours be?"

"You," Mike said simply.

"Is that the best choice in the world?" Harvey asked softly.

"Yeah," Mike replied easily. "Anyway, it's not like you'll be up against a dementor any time soon."

"I don't know," Harvey said as the doctor entered. "Anything's possible with you."

"You'd win anyway," Mike told him, keeping a solid grip on him throughout their time with the doctor, just to assure himself that _his_ Harvey was completely corporeal.

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><p><strong>AN Tadaa :) Hope you enjoyed it - please review? :D Oh, and apparently the spell 'Expecto Patronum' literally translates to 'I await a protector' which I thought was INCREDIBLY apt ;)**


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